--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's safer to use fiction, which will not…" description: "\"“It's safer to use fiction, which will not be taken for literal truth, but which, like Jesus' stories, can tell the truth indirectly yetpowerfully.”\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg" --- # It's safer to use fiction, which will not be taken for… ![“It's safer to use fiction, which will not be taken for literal truth, but which, like Jesus' stories, can tell the truth indirectly yetpowerfully.” quote by Wayne Martindale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg) > ““It's safer to use fiction, which will not be taken for literal truth, but which, like Jesus' stories, can tell the truth indirectly yetpowerfully.”” [Wayne Martindale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-martindale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fiction can convey deep truths indirectly, similar to parables, without literal claims. **In simple terms:** Fiction tells truth indirectly. Key Takeaway Use stories to explore truths. Themes Storytelling Truth Fiction Indirectness Philosophy Mood Thoughtful inspirational Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - Education - Writing - Therapy Key Concepts Allegory Narrative Symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How does a story reveal truth? - When is indirect truth more powerful? A Different Perspective Fiction may be dismissed as false, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Indirectly Yetpowerfully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indirectly-yetpowerfully-4194288/) [Literal Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literal-truth-447090/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Indirectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-indirectly-4194287/) [Use Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-fiction-2208793/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [ “...\[A\] strange necessity has been laid upon me to devote my life to the central concern that transcends the walls that divide and would… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/a-strange-necessity-has-been-laid-upon-me-to-devote-my-life-to-the/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) > [“He said, "Just as there exists in writing a literal truth and a poetic truth, there also exists in a human being a literal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/he-said-just-as-there-exists-in-writing-a-literal-truth-and-a-poetic/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Everything Scripture teaches about sin and redemption assumes the literal truth of the first three chapters of Genesis. If we wobble to any degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/everything-scripture-teaches-about-sin-and-redemption-assumes-the/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [The deepest shadow is cast by the strongest light is not just a metaphor; it is literal truth. In](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-meredith/the-deepest-shadow-is-cast-by-the-strongest-light-is-not-just-a/) [Jane Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-meredith/) > [“It is true that this general truth was hidden from many by certain definite assertions. I can only call them, in simple language, Protestant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-true-that-this-general-truth-was-hidden-from-many-by-certain/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [A knowledge of the true age of the Earth and of the fossil record makes it impossible for any balanced intellect to believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-crick/a-knowledge-of-the-true-age-of-the-earth-and-of-the-fossil-record/) [Francis Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-crick/) > [In order to deliver the emotional truth in the story, you have to include some of the literal truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/in-order-to-deliver-the-emotional-truth-in-the-story-you-have-to/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“And after all, our mythology may be much nearer to literal truth than we suppose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/and-after-all-our-mythology-may-be-much-nearer-to-literal-truth-than/) [c.s. lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [In its natural state, the child tells the literal truth because it is too naive to think of anything else. Blurting out the complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/in-its-natural-state-the-child-tells-the-literal-truth-because-it-is/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“I use Fiction to face Reality And write sweet Stories to avoid the bitter ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talia/i-use-fiction-to-face-reality-and-write-sweet-stories-to-avoid-the/) [Talia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talia/) > [Palaeontologists use fiction all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-macleod/palaeontologists-use-fiction-all-the-time/) [Norman Macleod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-macleod/) > [When I see things in the world that leap out at me, I want to make use of them in fiction. Maybe every writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-kushner/when-i-see-things-in-the-world-that-leap-out-at-me-i-want-to-make-use/) [Rachel Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-kushner/) > [I liked the thought of being a country clergyman. Accordingly I read with care Pearson on the Creed and a few other books on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-liked-the-thought-of-being-a-country-clergyman-accordingly-i-read/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“You adulterate the truth as you write. There isn't any pretense that you try to arrive at the literal truth. And the only consolation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald-2/you-adulterate-the-truth-as-you-write-there-isn-t-any-pretense-that/) [W.G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald-2/) > [God's truth is literal truth. The illumined mind has more operative cells. In reclaiming the mystical, we take back our whole selves. Formerly barren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/god-s-truth-is-literal-truth-the-illumined-mind-has-more-operative/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More Fiction quotes > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [Fiction is a way of exploring possibilities present but undreamt of in the living of a single life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/fiction-is-a-way-of-exploring-possibilities-present-but-undreamt-of/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [“The fiction will seek the real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coheed-and-cambria/the-fiction-will-seek-the-real/) [Coheed and Cambria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coheed-and-cambria/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. 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It has to do with taking a large fiction itself and writing within it; that kind of self-reflecting writing that emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coover/metafiction-says-something-it-has-to-do-with-taking-a-large-fiction/) [Robert Coover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coover/) [Browse all 7,410 Fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's safer to use fiction, which will not be taken for literal truth, but which, like Jesus' stories, can tell the truth indirectly yetpowerfully.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wayne Martindale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-martindale/it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not-be-taken-for-literal-truth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fiction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-martindale/it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not-be-taken-for-literal-truth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/wayne-martindale-286411_truth_it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not_1289212.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's safer to use fiction, which will not be taken for literal truth, but which, like Jesus' stories, can…” — Wayne Martindale", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Wayne Martindale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-martindale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's safer to use fiction, which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-martindale/it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not-be-taken-for-literal-truth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-martindale/it-s-safer-to-use-fiction-which-will-not-be-taken-for-literal-truth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```